Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-07-15
ABOUT - QNDS..
Legendary ssand aIIistorical Informatt.
s. C0ncerninx Their Virtues and v,.Ius..E

1LegsndArys sand nIIstorical Informatioal
Concerning sNAeirs Virtues and value.
Among all the ancients the iii almond
wass4aslls is an amulet possessing won
1 derfnl sa,oWer and immense intrinsic
isyalnp. " 55. \
Tncse are three forms in which the
/ diamond is cut, the brilliant, the rose
and sstha table. The sIlape of the stones
1, in41Aany cases is reg u.;.tea by its form
Fin Thorough. The brilliant is the most
lsvalnable, the rose second, and the t,.-
blealast. -<ss5 W
sEhe only American diamond of con-
:siderable size, and well youvhed for,
WEES. found by y man named Benjamin
5Mensre, u lahorer, in the employ Of Mr..
James Fisher, Jr.. at Manchester, near
Rielunond, Va, III the month of April,
1865. Its weight was 27.7 c;rats.
Ihe old writer's mention Imitation OF
diamonds by subjecting the sapphire,
amethyst, topaz or chrysolite to fire,
BY which the color was extracted and
the ril'iancy kept. 1t is IL common
error tisar the diamond will glisten in
the DARK. No more light emanates
| from it than from any other stone. ...
Master Ihom Vicols gives this
opinion Of the virtues of the diamond.
He says: lit Will make men rich and
eloquent; twill preserve from thunder
and lightning; it will create dreams,
keep men chaste, hinder fascination,
stop witchcraft and make men invisi-
BILE.
The principal diamond mines are the
districts of the East Indies, extending
from Cape Comorin to Bengal, and the
Brazilian localities. They are found in
the Ural, Russia, and upon the western
coast OF Africa. Diamonds have been
found in Georgia recently and in Wis
consin, so it is said. In the year 172.
diamonds were found in Brazil, at Te-
| juco, on the, Rio San Francisco. .
In 1871 a diamond of 1873 carats was
found, on the Rio" de Abaite, by three
criminals who had escaped from" Rio
Janeiro. Knowing it to be diamond,
but not having any chance of disposfng
pf it, they consulted a priest, who adj
{ vised them to throw themselves upon
the mercy of the Emperor and present
their jewel. They did so and were
pardoned, his Majesty pocketing the
diamond.
1t is only within two hundred years
that any system in the valuation OF
diamonds has been arrived at. In En-
rope, until within the past hundre 1
years, there was no scale of value. The
old manner of valuation, thus: If Il
diamond of single carat was worth
$40, one of 2 carats was worth $3.50,
one of carats $3.50, is exploded; as
diamonds become more plenty the
quality determines the value, that
ranges from $40 to $500 per carat.
Much depends upon the taste and
skill Of the lapidary in producing finely
cut. clear stones. Having decided
upon the form he will cut the stone,
he next makes model in lead, which
model rests continually before him as a
guide to his labors. Cutting is work
Of great labor and time OF the rela-
tive value of the cut and uncut ylia-
nond there can be no positive Ger
tainty, though it is understood that the
tinishod stone is worth three times the
rough stone.
The diamond is cold to the touch and
can not be looked through, as can all
limitations. Before cut it's coat i
rough and looks like grcenish glass.
Until the year 1916 the diamond was
worn uncut Many stones. supposed
to be the most beautiful in the world,
are in that state. Holland for q long
period held a monopoly of diamond
cutting. England gradually came in,
and finally the United States have
turned out some very nice work. New
York and Chicago are the headquarters
for diamond-cutting.
The composition of the paste or Paris
brilliant is fine, pure white glass-sand
or slick, the best of which is found in
Rhode Island and exported to Paris for
that use; potash, borax, red-lead and
arsenic; these substances are put into a
cruclble, which is kept at a great heat
for twenty-four hours or longer. The
mixture which results is called "strass;'
it is cast into molds, cut and polished
the same as glass, and thus receives all
the facets and limitations of tho real
i stone. These brilliants have the rich.
| ness and refraction of the true diamond.
but not it's hardness; few months
wear takes away their brilliancy, the
air corrodes their surface An imita-
ton can be readily detected, either by
the. crucible or the file. A file will
make no impression upon the genuine
diamond, neither will the test of fire.
bat that must be used with care--CA;-
| cGQo News-
/ CURIOUS FACTS.
I in, TloIo "